You Shall Not Pass
by QueenCarol
Summary: Forty years have passed, communities have grown, people have had children and grandchildren. Amongst it all there is a tradition, a tradition between the children, Nana Carol and Papa Ezekiel. (Inspired by Khary's Gandalf comment on twitter).


Disclaimer:

Carol Peletier, Sophia Peletier, King Ezekiel, Henry, Jerry, Shiva, and any other recognizable character or plot of The Walking Dead belong to AMC Network and Skybound Entertainment, Image Comics and Robert Kirkman.

In no way is the author claiming ownage of any of the characters nor is there any economic/monetary gain at any time. The author is extremely respectful of the original creators and is willing to take down this work of fiction if requested.

No copyright infringement intended.  
Original characters are the property of the author.

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You Shall Not Pass

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She hears the laughs that remind her of her husband's favorite tradition filtering through the window. She knows, without having to go out, that Ezekiel and Jerry stand on the porch, ready to receive the kids that visit her every day before sundown. It's a silly tradition, a tradition that many people in their community shake heir head at, but one that brings joy to her husband, to Jerry and herself.

It started years ago.

After having dealt with Alpha, Carol had swallowed all her pain and anger as best as she knew how and had returned to Ezekiel's side. She had been frank with him; telling him she had been wrong to leave him, that she loved him, and that she was thankful he understood she had to leave to deal with things on her own. Carol had been prepared to grovel if she needed to, to work at winning back his love, but Ezekiel has surprised her by opening his arms and welcoming her into a hug she hadn't known she needed. A hug that had managed to pull her fractured pieces together. Slowly, they had worked to rebuild their marriage and the trust that she had broken, they had focused on making each other happy and living one day at a time in Henry's memory.

Their fairy tale marriage was over, destroyed by the death of their son and the deep pain it brought. In its place, they had worked on creating a marriage, a partnership, that was raw and real and far from perfect but which brought them an incredible amount of happiness.

They fought as any marriage did. They loved as any marriage did. They found a balance rooted in the eight years of knowledge and love that their marriage had brought them and they expanded it, living a strong married life for almost thirty years to the date.

Their bodies might be old but their spirits weren't, which is why their tradition had been born.

Every day before the sun hid behind the horizon, Carol would welcome the little children from their community with a basket of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. They would munch on them, give her thanks and go to their respective homes in their now highly expanded community. However, before they got to her, and the coveted cookies, the children always passed by her husband and Jerry. It was there that the shenanigans started.

Moving closer to the window, Carol lets out a little grunt of pain, her back experiencing some residual pain from having bent to pull the last batch of cookies out off the oven. Age has been good to her but life in the apocalypse hasn't and as an old woman there are more aches and pains than she is willing to admit. Rubbing her back as best as she can, she pulls the curtains apart just enough to see the pair and smiles as she sees her husband and Jerry. Jerry, dressed in his best regalia, props his sword against the pillar that holds parts of the porch shade. Ezekiel, with his blue weathered coat, holds his staff which still houses his sword, in front of him, resting both of his aged hands against it. He stands as tall as his old age allows him to while still looking like the King she had fallen in love with.

"They are approaching," Carol hears her husband tell Jerry, who makes a show of picking up his sword. "Pretend none of them shall get to their coveted prize."

"You got it, boss."

She can't help but shake her head at them. No matter their age, be it their forties or their eighties, their friendship remains something pure and strong that can get them in mischievous trouble.

Already Carol can hear the children approaching, muffling their laughs behind their hands as they attempt to hide their excitement at the upcoming exchange.

"Who dares disrupts the Queen's dwellings?" Ezekiel asks right away.

She can see the kids gathering in front of Jerry and Ezekiel, not afraid for a single second at the display of weapons. They have grown hearing stories of the King and his best friend, of the King and the Queen, and they know that no matter what their little home is a haven and that no danger will fall on them while in the premises.

She catches a glimpse of Judith's little son as he stares wide-eyed and with a huge smile, at her husband, but it is Emma's daughter that replies. "We dare!" She declares with a little stomp of her foot followed by a giggle as she attempts to keep her end of the charade.

"How dare you?" Jerry adds which only earns him an exasperated look from Ezekiel.

"Jerry." She hears her husband playfully warm him.

"We dare," the little girl continues, "because Queen Carol always has cookies for us!"

"Does she?" Ezekiel asks in a playful challenge of the little girl's words.

"She does!" This time it's Judith's son that replies closely chorused by a third child that she can't see but recognizes as Daryl and Connie's grandchild.

"I was not given the knowledge of any of the Queen's delicacies being prepared for these children, where you Jerry?"

"Negative, boss."

"What are delicacies?" She hears from Judith's son, his tone of confusion breaking the charade for a moment.

"Oh! I got this one!" Jerry instantly bends down to whisper something to the little boy.

"Ohh... you mean the cookies?" He asks once Jerry has finished whispering to him. "Queen Carol always has cookies for us."

"I wasn't given any instructions to let the children through. As such..." Carol knows what's coming before Ezekiel even continues with the histrionic encounter. She knows Ezekiel will square his shoulder, will raise his staff then bring it down for dramatic effect to strike the floor as he gives his best Gandalf impression.

"You shall not pass!" She hears Ezekiel declare at the same time that she mouths the phrase.

The children laugh just as she lets go of the curtain. Slowly, she moves back to pick up the basket of cookies she has already prepared. She checks on the last batch, making sure they are cooling properly, before slowly making her way towards the door and towards the ruckus she can hear coming from outside.

She can't quite discern words through the door but the laughter she does hear brings a smile to her lips. As she nears, the muffled words become clearer.

"Let us through!"

"We want cookies!"

"You shall not pass!"

"This is not the King! It's an evil wizard! We need to defeat him!"

"I will protect all of you!"

She pulls the door open amidst the giggles of the children, knowing that if she waits one more second her husband or Jerry will certainly pull a muscle in their old age. For a second everything halts, the children turning to look at her, Ezekiel holding his stance while two little girls tug at his coat and Jerry pretending to be struggling with one of the children.

"Nana Carol!" The children exclaim in unison as they rush to her. She's instantly surrounded by tiny children who embrace her legs and waist.

"Was Papa Ezekiel being mean to you?" She asks them before bending down and letting them reach into the basket.

"Not really." Judith's son declares as he pulls out a cookie which goes straight into his mouth.

"He did say there were no cookies though."

She hears her husband chuckle so she shakes her head at him before sharing a mirthful look. "Your Papa Ezekiel is being silly." She promises them. "There will always be cookies here for you guys."

"Thank you, Nana."

With each child holding two cookies, they wave their goodbyes leaving her alone with Ezekiel and Jerry. As always Jerry raises his hand to his forehead, two fingers pressing against his temple before giving a salute. "Same time, same place boss?"

"Same time, same place Jerry."

She waits until Jerry has left the porch before she turns to look at her husband with a raised eyebrow. "Keeping children from their cookies? Really?"

Ezekiel gives her a shrug, a smile on his lips and a glint of mischievousness in his eyes. "A King doesn't question his duty to protect his Queen. May it be from walkers, people who want what we have, or children in the search of sweets."

"Do I have to remind you this Queen can still protect herself?" She challenges him.

Ezekiel chuckles, opening his arms in defeat before approaching her. His arms wrap around her, making her quickly pull the basket out of the way so that they are pressed together. "No, my love." He whispers before placing a kiss against her lips.

The effect is instantaneous; she relaxes against his embrace, a weathered hand smoothing up his chest, her fingers curling on the base of his neck to gently pull him against her. She has been kissing him for the past forty years but it still feels like the first time. She still feels butterflies take flight in her belly, she still feels her heart hammering in her chest and her breath catch in her lungs.

When she pulls back she can't help but lick her lips. There's a sparkle in her eye as she prepares to tease him. "You better not forget it."

Knowing he will follow her inside, Carol turns and makes her way into their home and towards the kitchen where the latest batch of cookies will no doubt have cooled down by now. "I don't know if I should let you have any cookies."

"That would be cruel." Ezekiel reminds her, his hand already snaking to snatch one. She slaps his hand playfully before reminding him to wash his hands. "Whatever my Queen wishes." He says with a nod of his head.

Carol observes him as he turns and slowly moves towards the sink. He washes his hands thoroughly, her eyes tracing the lines created on them by time. He might be halfway through his eighties, but his hands remain as strong and loving as they always have been. She can't help but let her eyes wander up to his face, where time has also passed though his smile remains as wide as the first day, his eyes as bright and loving as they've always been. Time hadn't taken away his handsomeness nor his kind bright soul.

"Observing something that pleases your fancy, my love?" He interrupts her musings, making her blush.

"Maybe..." she admits as she reaches for her cookie, unable to deny herself the sweet taste of chocolate.

"My heart soars at the knowledge that I still have such an effect on you," Ezekiel teases her.

She playfully rolls her eyes at him. "Don't let it get to your head."

"When have I ever allowed such a thing?"

Carol shakes her head at him as she chuckles but he doesn't let her speak before he is moving to her side, his hands catching hers, their fingers intertwining, his hands pulling one of hers to his chest and the other towards her back, securing her against him. "It has been an honor to share all these years with you, my beloved Queen."

She leans forward, pressing her forehead to his chin, taking in a deep breath to let the scent of leather and that which is uniquely Ezekiel wash over her. "You did promise to always love me." She reminds him. "You can't take that back after all these years."

"I wouldn't dare."

"Good, then you better be prepared to share at least ten more years." She tells him as she pulls back, her eyes misted with tears. They've had a good life; with pain and happiness, tears and laughter, loss and gains that can't be measured with anything else but love. She knows their time draws near; they've cheated death far too many times and the years are finally catching up to them. The life they've had together, however, has been worth it all.

"I am prepared to share an eternity with you, my Carol." He promises before pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

Their kiss is slow, tender, and loving. It is an affirmation of everything they hold in their hearts. There is no rush, only two old people celebrating the life they've lived; Carol and Ezekiel, the Queen and King of the Old Kingdom, the Nana and Papa of the new.

Carol is the first one to pull back, only to share a smile with her husband. "Come on old man, finish your cookie. I want to cuddle with my husband. You have to rest for tomorrow's portrayal of Gandalf."

She can't help but shake her head and let out a laugh as he all but stuffs the rest of the cookie into his mouth, following happily behind her.

Tomorrow will be another day; another day to be the conscience of their community, another day to repeat their little tradition, and another day to grow old together as Papa Ezekiel and Nana Carol.

The end.


End file.
